"They made me an offer that I could not refuse ..."

With "The Lurker at the Threshold" and the present also in German "gates of perdition", the Arkham horror universe expands again - now for the seventh time, plus the Miskatonic additional cards for the base game (!). An incredible stint!
But even with the time quite a budget in the system "sunk Arkham Horror, the different expansion but ensure each very specific action, mood and challenges that can bring shrewd player sweat. And" The Lurker at the Threshold " is no exception!

This is one of the 'small' expansion boxes (fourth ...) that do not require additional board - but this is not a disadvantage. Instead, the supplement some matching myth and event cards, new gate markers (remains in a Messenger as a complement to the active Great Old Ones, the replace normal and with gimmicks like way in two other worlds, hiking or even devouring equipped - there are also goals for other expansion, it was well thought along) and a new marker pool called "power".

And this power, it revolves primarily. For as duct tape has a smooth and a sticky side, which she holds the world together - and the investigators have virtually the hand on the role. In fact, the "Lurker at the Threshold" turns out to be soul dealer, the investigators can enter into pacts for various, quite lavish benefits ... so you can cast spells automatically without Sanity cost, can be mentally or physically heal immediately, or reach even to allies, without having to track down about encounters this difficulty.
But all this has its price! The more received such pacts or the benefits are claimed from it, the more power accumulates. And when the day of reckoning 'comes (and it comes more often than a loving is ...), the weeping and gnashing of teeth is large, when it comes to the true Sinen of the word' to pay the price of Might!

On the mechanisms I will not go into here - to friendlies but I have to admit that this version has a particularly morbid charm. Overall, this expansion acts like a real "Escalation Level": everything is bigger, harder, tougher. There are, for example, gates, all in all a -5. - Require modifier to the closing-sample (!). Well, who then use the most suitable sentence and possibly may enter into a pact that can really succeed in the magic too! The benefits which are granted on the pacts, so are fully justified, the game balance is m. E. safeguarded. And since the player with the "Lurker at the Threshold" have it in our hands by the pacts, as far as they go (or be able to go mine ...) is also provided for homemade voltage!

Another gimmick there's also a set of "relationship map". These govern the relationship of the players or their characters to one another, in each case always with the person sitting next to. You grant, as long as the relationship is intact, little bonuses like Re-Rolls on selected samples, common monetary gains or companion. That's nice, but not a decisive game. Nevertheless, a practical bonus, which can save an investigator life and limb. Because the pressure increases through the "The Lurker at the Threshold" -Expansion noticeably - all can help!

In my lap, the expansion was well received. She is somewhat reminiscent of "The Black Goat of the Woods" and the operating secretly Shub-Niggurath cult, the investigators may be added. "The Lurker at the Threshold" take this issue on and deepened it with devilish temptation - I will not speak of educational value, but you learn quite the hard way that the admission to higher powers not only brings fun, but also just MAKES ... and with it many opportunities to fall, be it personal or for collective players. Here, everyone gets what from! Muahahaha! ;)

The only drawback: a lot is not clearly formulated, and one can only guess by the non-Erwähntsein in scarce rule sheet (just two pages). So is nowhere if players such. As the final battle with the Ancient One also awakened (yet) able to enter into pacts, such as the spells or to their Stamina or Sanity refresh again? But this is the only thing I can criticize in principle.

I admit the expansion overall four star, three would be enough for me, because the Faustian element to the various pacts holds a very special charm. ME What Intermediate who are looking for little money a real challenge. "The Lurker at the Threshold" is nothing for wimps, but is fun and harmonious in itself, as I had initially thought - thoroughly recommended.